Swordheart by T. Kingfisher - Starting August 10th, 2022

[Adriana]

Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate... and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws... and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.

[Robin]

Are we doing our own speed or going by set chapters for this one?

[Robin]

Chapter 1-10

(view spoiler)[
Great opening line hahaha had me off guard. Also I really like the weird bird and theres no way it isn't relevant later.

Sarkis spartan kicking the door down yeah babeyyyy

I like that Halla isn't the typical fantasy romance heroine, in that shes a little bit older and bigger than authors usually write. I think it makes me like her far more.

Also oh my god I love Sarkis. "It had been a long time since someone had touched him kindly." THATS SO SAD. Also he lost his wife in a way? I'm very curious as to the sequence of events up to his becoming entrapped in the sword I get the feeling it's a lot more complicated than they're implying.

(hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

Roe wrote: "Chapter 1-10


Great opening line hahaha had me off guard. Also I really like the weird bird and theres no way it isn't relevant later.

Sarkis spartan kicking the door down yeah babeyyyy

I like..."

I liked Halla too, thou i did get very tired of hearing about her child bearing hips repeatly, like i get it, you wrote a "bigger" MC, but stop repeating that.

[Brooke]

2%
(view spoiler)[ Locking the girl up in her room because she doesn't want to marry some creep, makes sense for the time. like i'd like to live in this time because women never really had jobs and could just sit around and read all day, my dream, but then i remember this shit and like nvm, i'll stay here. (hide spoiler)]

4%
(view spoiler)[ Oh I already like this dude that came out of the sword, plus his accent, he has a Scottish accent in the audiobook. he seems to be a true gentleman. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

6%
(view spoiler)[ he keeps freaking out every time she mentions using his sword/home to kill herself, i feel for her thou, best plan of action i guess. (hide spoiler)]

10%
(view spoiler)[ kinda wish they had killed someone on their way out of the house, but i'll take some wounds, and him kicking down the door was kinda hot (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

16%
(view spoiler)[ Cool that they addressed how he knows how to speak her language since it's been stuck in there for awhile, makes sense to have him just know whatever the sword owner knows. (hide spoiler)]

22%
(view spoiler)[ oh no he just kissed her on the forehead, please don't have more romance, i like the fantasy, road trip vibe so far and i don't want it ruined. (hide spoiler)]

[Brooke]

45%
(view spoiler)[ Damn doing experiments on this dude, making him pee in cups, and when he goes back into the sword, the pee disappears (hide spoiler)]

61%
(view spoiler)[ Well this has now just turned into them longing for each other. Where'd the plot go???

Also this girl has perfect boobs and I have been reminded more than 3 times that she has child bearing hips (hide spoiler)]

[Robin]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[
The throwaway mentions of the war they lost sounds really interesting, I really want to get into more of the worldbuilding for this. I'll probably read clocktaur war after this one I think.

Also there is absolutely a romance happening I think. I think I might be more into it if he wasn't repeatedly manhandling her or treating her like she's dim but I guess that might improve as we go along.

Also, yes, I am very sick of hearing about how massive her tits are.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12
(view spoiler)[
Mid chapter perspective switch without a divider or anything god help us
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13
(view spoiler)[
Aw I was kind of hoping Mina would be another companion for the road. Turn it into a proper road trip. but alas.
Also actually have we had a female character in this that wasn't like, outright evil and isn't the lead?
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 14
(view spoiler)[
Do swords fuck lmao
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15
(view spoiler)[
The old leopard has to be significant right like he keeps coming up more than any other wielder and theres always mention that he doesn't know what happened to him or his family.
Halla's dad is unknown so maybe ? some connection there?

I like the aesthetic of the scars turning silver once he heals. I'd love to see art of this book.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[
“I’m certainly not important enough to merit the Mother’s attention! Or Her vegetables.”
Halla is really growing on me.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 18
(view spoiler)[
OK so are the other two swords dead then? like confirmed? or has he just not seen them in a while cause honestly I really want to read about Angharad Shieldborn. Could the dream in this chapter be like, them meeting in the dream world?

Also he feels a lot of guilt over the other two. Is he responsible for it somehow?
(hide spoiler)]

[Robin]

Chapter 23
(view spoiler)[
"If she chose to wander about wearing nothing but strategically placed lizards" lmao

Unsure about how like, they've written Halla as a grown middle aged woman who's had a husband in the past but also seem determined to make her naive to all attention/advances from men? It seems a weird dichotomy.

Ok so the sword is cursed to fail its weilder? I know it doesn't fit the tone of the story at all but a lovers to enemies plot would have been sick with this premise.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[
Ok we finally got a couple of female characters that aren't the lead that are also not evil.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27
(view spoiler)[
"She was out of bacon and probably nobody found licking a tin cup sexy. Licking the wagon was right out." lmao

Also there is no goddamn way this disappearing piss jar business is their solution to birth control. A sentence I can't believe I had to type.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 32
(view spoiler)[
VANGRANT HILLS YES I WAS HOPING FOR THIS
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 35
(view spoiler)[
Oh my god the fucked up deer. T Kingfisher's specialty and it shows.
I want an entire book based on a party going through the vagrant hills tbh I much prefer this spooky bit.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 37
(view spoiler)[
Please stop telling me about Hallas Incredible Tits i got it thank you.

Weird I kind of expect this if it was a man author but its a woman?
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 47
(view spoiler)[
OK so hes not destined to fail her but he did betray his people? I guess?

Also did she technically surrender the sword just then? so someone else can pick it up?
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 48-Epilogue
(view spoiler)[
Ok I liked that the sword smith was the same person that founded that religion. The worldbuilding in this I am enjoying a lot.

I'm sad there was no proper duel between the two I think that would've been a lot more tense.

More swords! Angharad Pls!
(hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[
I think overall I liked this book well enough. I don't think I'll read it again nor recommend it to a friend though. I might read the Clocktaur war series just for more of the worldbuilding.

I did at first like Halla but by the end I was a little sick of the way they were trying to make her both an adult and incredibly naive. Maybe it would have struck different if she wasn't the subject of a romance and constant comments on her body.
(hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

Wow, the ratings have me scared. I have been slow at reading lately but I am determined to read Swordheart this week.

Chapters 1 - 5

(view spoiler)[ 😬 I don't really like Halla. I have to get used to her inner thoughts. The sword guy seems cool. I wish he would kill the aunt. I do want to know if she'll get her inheritance at the end. I hope she does and it's not like she gives up or the guy saves her the whole time. (hide spoiler)]

[Adriana]

I gave up after chapter 19...

(view spoiler)[I am bored. They are falling for each other too fast and the whole they don't think each other would like the thing isn't convincing. Also, why did they have to mention the guy doing something sexual to himself... Ugh. (hide spoiler)]

[Robin]

Adriana wrote: "I gave up after chapter 19...

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[
I don't honestly think you're missing much haha. I was definitely hoping for better from the author cause I enjoyed some of her stuff before. I liked the world building but it was so peripheral to the weird romance it just eh.
(hide spoiler)]